Hot Sands and Hard Rocks

Buried Hope

We decide to take a small break, which was well received with the group.

As I sit down, I make sure to keep an eye on Sokka, and Toph sits down not to far from me. Katara talks to the newly returned airbender.

"I'm sorry Aang. I know it's hard for you right now, but we need to focus on getting out of here." She states.

Aang replies in an angry tone, "What's the point? We won't survive without Appa and we all know it..."

"Come on Aang, we can do this if we work together. Right Toph?" Katara asks.

The small bender shrugs.

"As far as I can feel, we're trapped in a giant bowl of sand pudding.. I've got nothing." She says, sounding defeated.

"I'm sorry I can't help out more... I didn't leave my village much, so I don't know the layout of the desert.." I add.

"Sokka? Any ideas on helping us get to Ba Sing Se?" Katara asked her brother, clearly desperate.

"Why don't we ask the circle birds?" He responds, still out of his mind.

Katara stands up, groaning, and clearly frustrated.

"We're gonna get out of this desert and we'll do it together! Come on everyone, we'll hold hands if we need to!" She yells, getting our hopes up.

"Holding hands may not be the best course of action, we'll just make each other even hotter." I tell her.

This was true, but I also wasn't crazy for that much physical interaction.

Our line sets off again, with Aang in lead and Katara in the back. This left Toph, Sokka and I in the middle, mainly so we could keep an eye on the loopy warrior.

We walked like this until the moon rose, bringing a much needed chill over the dunes, which told us it was time to make camp.

"Is there any more water?" Toph asks the group.

"I have enough for one more drink, but then it's all gone.." Katara stated.

I know how crucial her water is for bending, so I offer the rest of mine.

"I've got a bit left, save yours Katara." I say

"Besides, I don't think we want anymore swamp guy water."

Toph laughed at my joke and even Katara chuckled a bit.

"Thank you Y/N." She said.

My canteen is passed around, with Aang refusing a sip. The last drink was reserved for me, and I finished the water, capping the container one last time.

I move over to Toph, hoping to start a conversation.

She was on the verge of falling asleep, so I try to keep it brief.

"So you can't see in the sand?" I ask.

"I can't see period. I can only feel the vibrations through the earth, but this sand is so loose it messes with them." She answers.

"Well, maybe don't look for vibrations. The sand can't convey those, but you can feel the shift in the sand way easier. Especially if you were to completely submerge your feet." I tell.

Even the people of my tribe use this technique.

"Well maybe if the sand didn't need to be so stupid I wouldn't have any problem.." She responds.

I don't think she wants help, but I feel that my advice will stay with her.

"Just wanted to try to help out as much as I can." I tell her.

"Sokka, let me see the things you got from the library." Katara asks her brother.

"What! I didn't steal anything! Who told you that!?" Sokka yells, hugging his possessions tight.

"It was YOU! You ratted me out!" He yells, blaming Momo.

"I was there when you took it." Katara said, clearly tired of his antics.

"It doesn't matter.. None of those will tell us where Appa is." Aang mutters.

"I'm sure there's something that could help us get out of here." I tell him.

"What do you know? Your people are the reason he's gone, and you don't even know how to get out of here, unless you're lying!" He shouts.

I can't blame him, although I know I am innocent, he's hurting, and it was a group of sandbenders that took his friend.

"I'm sorry, but I know it wasn't my people that took your friend." I say.

He only scoffs.

I let out a yawn, and look around, seeing that Sokka has passed out and is now snoring quite loudly. On the contrary, Toph is almost silent in her sleep. She looks peaceful after such a rough day.

I'm not sure I can stay awake much longer, and I soon fall asleep as well, my last sight being that of Katara talking to and comforting Aang.

                                   •••

Everyone else seemed to had just woken up mere minutes before me. Maybe the movement in the sand was what woke me.

"Appa!" Yells Aang.

We all turn to the boy, who's looking high into the sky.

"Appa? But why would Princess Yue need him? She's the moon, she flies by herself." Sokka says.

A princess? I'm glad nobody else drank the cactus, that stuff is even worse than I thought.

Aang's face shifts, realizing that his friend he saw was really just a cloud.

"Just a cloud.." Katara starts. "Wait, a cloud! Aang, fly up there and bend the water into my pouch!" She orders.

A smart idea, I wouldn't have even thought of that.

The young Avatar takes the pouch, readies his glider and heads off.

Yeah, no doubt about it. He's the real deal.

I stand up and stretch my limbs, feeling the satisfying cracks and pops with every movement.

The pouch returns to Katara, Aang descending to the ground quickly after.

"There's not much in here.." The girl observes.

"I'm sorry, ok!? It's a desert cloud I did the best I could! What's everyone else doing?" He snaps.

"I'm trying to keep everyone together.. Let's head out." She retorts, clearly upset.

I didn't realize it much until now, but Katara is doing all of the leadership on her own.. I pity her..

We start on our journey once more, but quickly pause when Toph trips over something.

"Ow! Crud! I am so sick of not feeling where I'm going!" She cries out. "And what idiot buries a boat in the middle of the desert!?" Maybe my advice didn't help after all.

Katara and I turn our eyes quickly to the object.

"A boat!?" Katara questions.

Is it really a sailer?

"Believe me! I kicked it hard enough to feel plenty of vibrations!" She answers, soothing her feet with her hands.

I use my bending to move the sand off of the buried sailer.

"It's in perfect shape! And it has a compass! Y/N, do you know how to operate it?" Katara asks.

And it's the missing one from my tribe!

"Well I don't necessarily have my permit, but I know a thing or two." I joke.

There's no such thing as a sailer permit. They don't know this but my people would've found it funny.

We all load onto the vehicle, and I use my bending to send us on our way, faster than before.